Supported Living under pressure — Cardiff providers call for fair funding in next Welsh budget

Ategi: 30 years of Supported Living in Cardiff

For over 30 years, Ategi has provided Supported Living services in and around Cardiff, supporting dozens of people with learning disabilities to live safe, independent and community-focused lives. Supported Living has become a Welsh social care success story — empowering people who, in the past, may have faced life in long-stay institutions to instead live full, connected and fulfilling lives in their communities.

Rising cost pressures threaten essential services

The Supported Living sector is now facing increasing financial pressures. As a not-for-profit provider, Ategi reinvests any surplus directly into our services, community activities and staff. We are committed to paying the Real Living Wage, which sets us apart from many private providers.

But last year’s Real Living Wage increase, alongside rising National Insurance costs, placed significant strain on budgets. Not all local authorities were able to meet these cost increases for their own services — and even fewer were able to uplift funding for external providers like us.

A call on Welsh Government to boost local authority budgets

As the Welsh Government’s draft budget enters its final stages, we are calling for urgent action. We are asking that the majority of any additional funding held back for negotiations is directed straight into the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) for local government.

This is the most effective way to give councils the flexibility needed to support essential social care services, including supported living. Without it, providers will face even greater challenges — and people who rely on supported living could see their independence and quality of life put at risk.

Asking Councillors, MSs and MPs to raise their voices

We urge Cardiff Councillors, Members of the Senedd and Members of Parliament to raise these issues proactively over the coming weeks — within their political groups, in committee meetings, and directly with ministers. Ategi stands ready to meet, discuss our concerns and, where appropriate, welcome elected representatives to our supported living houses to see the impact of our services first-hand.

We also need the public’s help

Families, friends, colleagues and allies are essential to helping decision-makers understand why supported living must be properly funded. By contacting your local MS or Councillor, you can help ensure this issue is impossible to ignore.

Together for a sustainable future for supported living

Supported Living is life-changing. It keeps people connected, safe and independent. With fair funding, we can continue to provide the kind of support that people deserve — now and for generations to come.

Who to contact — Cardiff representatives

• Emailing Cabinet/ Lead members

What you will need to do: Find your Lead Member/Cabinet Member for social care in your local authority, and email them. Go to the bottom of this article to find some templates - try to add some personal touches to yours.

Cardiff Council — Cabinet Members for Social Care

• Cllr Norma Mackie Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services / Public Health & Equality 📧 Norma.Mackie@cardiff.gov.uk
• Cllr Ashley Lister Cabinet Member for Children’s Services / Social Services 📧 Ash.Lister@cardiff.gov.uk

Here's some contacts to get you started!

• Emailing Ward Councillors:

What you will need to do: Use a postcode finder to see who your local elected representatives are. You can use this tool here: Seat Explorer. You can enter the postcode of your Supported Living accommodation houses (Ty Cornel: CF11 7LZ and Cowbridge Road West: CF5 5TB), and under “Ward” it will show you the name of the local authority ward. You can then go to your local council website and find the Councillors for that Ward.

• Emailing Members of Senedd:

What you will need to do: Use a postcode finder to see who your local MS’ are,  for each of your Supported Living houses ((Ty Cornel: CF11 7LZ and Cowbridge Road West: CF5 5TB) - you can use this tool here . If appropriate, you can then list the services (or at least say how many people are supported by you in their constituency). If appropriate, you could also list the members of staff employed by you who live in their constituency (if your People/HR team can pull a report of staff postcodes).

Members of the Senedd (MSs) for Cardiff

• Jenny Rathbone MS — Cardiff Central

• Julie Morgan MS — Cardiff North

• Vaughan Gething MS — Cardiff South & Penarth

• Mark Drakeford MS — Cardiff West

(Full contact details available on the Senedd website.)

Cardiff MPs

• Stephen Doughty MP — Cardiff South & Penarth

• Alex Barros-Curtis MP — Cardiff West

How you can take action

You can make a real difference by taking just a few minutes to contact your local representatives.

Take action by:

• Emailing your MS, asking them to support increased funding for social care and supported living in the Welsh Government budget.

• Writing to your ward councillors to highlight the importance of supported living in their area.

• Contacting your MP to ensure they understand the pressures on local social care budgets.

• Sharing your personal perspective — whether you are a family member, colleague, or community supporter — on why supported living matters.

• Encouraging others in your network to reach out to their representatives too.

We’ve created some templates for you to email below:

1. Template for Cabinet / Lead Members (Local Authority)

Purpose: Emphasise local impact + ask them to influence their party and MS colleagues.

SUBJECT: Please support increased funding for supported living in the final Welsh Government budget

Dear Cllr [NAME],

I’m writing as a [parent/family member/friend/support worker] of someone who relies on supported living in [LOCAL AUTHORITY]. These services are essential for helping people with learning disabilities live safely, independently and as part of their communities.

But pressures on local government budgets mean these services are really struggling. Providers do not make a profit — they reinvest everything into support and paying the Real Living Wage — but rising costs and limited funding are putting stability at risk.

As you work with the Welsh Government on the final budget, I’m asking for your support to increase the Revenue Support Grant for local authorities. Without this, supported living and similar services will not be able to keep pace with rising costs.

I would be grateful if you could raise this with your political colleagues and encourage strong advocacy within your party for fair social care funding.

Thank you for everything you’re doing in a challenging financial climate.

Best wishes,  [NAME]  [POSTCODE]

2. Template for Ward Councillors

Purpose: Emphasise the specific ward connection + local community role.

SUBJECT: Protecting supported living services in [WARD NAME]

Dear Cllr [NAME],

I’m writing as a [parent/family member/friend/support worker] of someone who lives in supported living in [WARD NAME]. These services help people stay connected to their communities, stay out of long-stay institutional care, and live with dignity and independence.

But they are under real pressure because of rising costs and stretched council budgets. Providers reinvest everything and many pay the Real Living Wage, but funding simply isn’t keeping up.

I’m asking you to support increased funding for social care in the Welsh Government’s final budget by encouraging your Cabinet colleagues and local MS’ to prioritise the Revenue Support Grant. Without this, services in our community — including the ones in your ward — will struggle.

Thank you for your time and your support for local people.

Best wishes,  [NAME]  [POSTCODE]

3. Template for Members of the Senedd (Constituency or Regional)

Purpose: Show local relevance + ask for direct political action.

SUBJECT: Please support funding for Supported Living in the upcoming Welsh budget

Dear [NAME] MS,

I’m writing as a [parent/family member/friend/support worker] of someone who lives in Supported Living in your constituency. These services give people safety, stability and a real sense of belonging in their community.

But they are facing growing financial pressure. Providers are not-for-profit and they reinvest everything into support — but rising costs, including the Real Living Wage increase and National Insurance changes, have created real strain. Without increased funding for local authorities, these services won’t be able to keep pace with what people need.

I’m asking for your support in the final Welsh Government budget to increase the Revenue Support Grant for local government. This is critical to protect supported living and learning disability services across Wales.

I would be grateful if you could raise this in the Senedd and with your colleagues over the next few weeks.

Thank you for your time, and for your work on behalf of our community.

Best wishes,  [NAME]  [POSTCODE]

4. Template for Members of Parliament (MPs)

Purpose: Highlight the local impact, the importance of social care funding routes that touch UK policy (e.g., NI contributions, inflationary pressures), and ask them to advocate with UK Government colleagues.

SUBJECT: Please support fair funding for supported living services in our community

Dear [NAME] MP,

I’m writing as a [parent/family member/friend/support worker] of someone who relies on supported living services here in your constituency. These services help people with learning disabilities live safely, independently, and as part of their communities — something that matters deeply to families like mine.

However, rising costs and pressure on local authority budgets mean these services are becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. Providers reinvest everything into support and paying fair wages, but increases in National Insurance, inflation, and workforce costs have created challenges that local funding alone cannot absorb.

Although social care funding in Wales is devolved, UK Government decisions on taxation, welfare, public spending settlements and workforce policy directly affect the viability of services on the ground. These pressures are filtering down to people and families in your constituency right now.

I’m asking if you can:

• Raise these concerns with UK Government ministers • Support a settlement for Wales that allows local authorities to properly fund supported living • Advocate for policies that recognise the true cost of delivering safe, dignified social care

Supported living works. It keeps people out of long-stay institutional settings and allows them to live ordinary, meaningful lives in their communities. But it needs stable funding behind it.

Thank you for your time, and for everything you do for our community. I would be grateful for any steps you can take to support this issue.

Best wishes, [NAME] [POSTCODE]

Thank you for helping us make a difference!

Shirley with her support worker. She supported through Supported Living.

Would you like to find out more about our Supported Living Service?

Our Supported Living service helps you live independently in your own home, providing the support you need to thrive. Our experienced staff work with you to build on your strengths, develop new skills, and set achievable goals for the future. Whether at home or in the community, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Find out more here